Puttin On the Ritz cover VU's “The Gift”

{

B.J. Rubin, purveyor of digital rarities on his blog Pukekos, is also one half of the core duo of Puttin on the Ritz, along with drummer Kevin Shea.

The shit-jazz group mostly known for massacring old standards on purpose released the lead-off to an upcoming album, a cover of Velvet Underground's “The Gift,” with the monotone Rubin narrating Lou Reed's story in place of the debonair John Cale, and skeezy lounge lizard jazz horns fronting Shea's skittery drum parts, with all but Rubin's steady reading descending into avant-oblivion by the 5-minute mark.

They have a new album due out, and seeing as it's called White Light/White Heat, we'll go out on a limb and assume the whole thing is a cover album of the VU classic. Fuck yeah!